A brand new hunt has been added to the 2012 slate of Women On Target hunting excursions, and for the first time ever the program is offering a hunt that the guys can get in on.
Since its founding in 1999, the goal of the Women On Target program has been to create opportunities for women to explore hunting and the shooting sports in the company of other women. While that mission remains the same today, many women have expressed an interest in attending a hunt with their spouse or significant other.
And NRA has listened.
“Women have been telling me for years that they’d like to bring their husband or boyfriend on our hunts,” said Ann Marie Foster, NRA Women’s Hunt Coordinator. “So this is just the next step in the program’s growth. While this is our first couples hunt, we’re planning to do others down the road. We want women to have fun on these hunts and feel comfortable doing so, be it with their husband, daughter or best friend.”
The inaugural Women On Target couples hunt will take place Dec. 13-16, 2012, at Swan’s Nest in Cambridge, Md., which is located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in close proximity to the Choptank River and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. This hunt is designed to appeal to the adventuresome couple that wants to experience an exciting guided duck/goose and upland bird hunt, enjoy great food, and experience other outdoor activities like kayaking, canoeing or biking in the Chesapeake Bay tradition.
The overlapping goose and duck season in Maryland provides the opportunity to shoot both in either field and water blinds over corn or soybean fields, freshwater ponds and creeks in the area. Guests will also enjoy a half-day upland bird hunt with the opportunity to harvest up to 10 quail or six chukars or four pheasants per couple. Skeet, trap and sporting clays are also available.
The cost of this hunt is $920 per person and includes three nights lodging in Swan Nest’s beautifully restored farmhouse; a comprehensive safety orientation; shotgun patterning; a round of skeet, trap or sporting clays; meals from Thursday dinner to Sunday breakfast; one half-day waterfowl hunt; one half-day upland bird hunt; game cleaning and packaging; and a 2/1 hunter to guide ratio. Price does not include licenses, stamps, ammunition or gratuities. The deadline to register is June 30, 2012.
In addition to the brand new couples hunt at Swan’s Nest, six additional women-only hunts remain on the 2012 and early 2013 Women On Target schedule:
Whitetail Buck & Whitetail Doe - Texas
October 8-11, 2012
Pheasant & Chukar - Nebraska
Experienced Huntresses & First-Time Hunters
October 19-21, 2012
Duck - Missouri
November 7-9, 2012
Whitetail Doe, Hog, Coyote & Bobcat - Oklahoma
November 9-11, 2012
Mule Deer, Whitetail Buck, Bull Elk - Montana
November 11-17, 2012
Whitetail Doe, Hog, Coyote & Bobcat - Oklahoma
January 4-6, 2013
Detailed information on each of these hunts, including registration deadlines and fees, is available by visiting www.nrahq.org/women/hunting/excursions.asp or by contacting Ann Marie Foster, NRA Women’s Hunt Coordinator, at womenontargethunts@nrahq.org or (703) 267-1413.
Women’s Outdoor Adventure Program
Also new for 2012 is the NRA Women’s Outdoor Adventure program, an exciting event developed by women, for women. Scheduled for April 30-May 7, 2012, at the Rockcastle Shooting Center in Park City, Ky., the inaugural Women’s Outdoor Adventure is an eight-day shooting and outdoor event.
Aimed at introducing women to a variety of firearms, the Women’s Outdoor Adventure also features exciting outdoor activities as well as fun and relaxing social events.
“The Women’s Outdoor Adventure is an opportunity for ladies to foster their interest in shooting and the outdoors, all while enjoying the camaraderie of like-minded women,” said Bill Poole, Director of NRA’s Education & Training Division. “We want the attendees to leave with a well-rounded knowledge of firearms and the desire to continue participating in the shooting sports.”
Attendees will enjoy the thrill of learning to shoot on the world-class ranges of the Rockcastle Shooting Center while receiving instruction from the country’s top female shooters and firearms instructors. From trying their hand at shooting rifles, pistols, and shotguns during exciting multi-gun competition, to the fun of sporting clays, attendees will have the opportunity to explore a wide variety of shooting disciplines in a supportive, encouraging setting.
Cowboy Action Shooting is also on the agenda for the Women’s Outdoor Adventure, with attendees being transported back in time to the Old West on Rockcastle’s western town shooting range. Finally, attendees will take the NRA Personal Protection Inside The Home Course, designed to help women incorporate a firearm into their home defense plan.
In addition to time on the range, ladies will enjoy riding a zip line, canoeing, horseback riding, and playing a round of golf at the Cave Valley Golf Club. Other activities include touring natural caves in the area, a wine and cheese social at the Cave Valley Winery, a ladies hunting apparel fashion show, a cowboy-style cookout, and performances from local musicians.
Reservations for the Women’s Outdoor Adventure are made on a first come, first served basis, and space is limited to just 40 women. The deadline to register is April 1.
For more information on the Women’s Outdoor Adventure or to download the event application, please visit www.nrahq.org/women/woa.asp or contact Ann Marie Foster (703-267-1413 or afoster@nrahq.org).
Enjoy Northern New Mexico and WWE
Finally, you won’t want to miss this year’s Women’s Wilderness Escape (WWE), an eight-day shooting and outdoor getaway held annually at the beautiful NRA Whittington Center in Raton, N.M. This popular event, now in its fourth year, will feature two, eight-day sessions (September 22-29 and September 30 – October 7, 2012).
WWE participants will learn to shoot smallbore rifle silhouette, scoped/tactical carbine, long range high power rifle, conventional and tactical pistol, historic firearms and shotgun (five-stand). Upon completion of training in the pistol, shotgun and rifle disciplines, attendees earn the NRA FIRST Steps Firearm Certificates. Attendees will also learn archery, tree stand safety and participate in a mock hunt. Completion of these three events will earn participants the Bow Hunter Education Certificate. Other planned activities will include survival training, game calling, laser shot, evening auction and wine social.
For an information packet and application for this year’s Women's Wilderness Escape, visit www.nrahq.org/women/wilderness_escape_request.asp.
